Iowa DNR releases fishing report

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)

Water levels continue to drop slowly. Channel Catfish ? good: the three baits to use are frogs, chubs and crawdads. Work the brush piles and the drop-offs at the edges of the sandbars.

Lake Belva Deer

Water temp is 74 degrees. Thermocline is at 10 to 12 feet. Don?t bother fishing any deeper ? no oxygen means no fish. Bluegill ? fair: anglers have been catching bluegills down about six to eight feet around the trees and up around the mounds at the upper end of the lake.

Lake Geode

Bluegill ? fair: the bluegills have moved deeper for the summer. Look for the to be just off the ledges to the deep water.

Lake Odessa

The boat ramps at Schafer?s and Sand Run are now open. Water levels are still about a foot above the normal fall levels. The wildlife guys have two bulldozers and a couple of tractors down on the Toolesboro Road, trying to get the silt and sand off it so that they can open it back up. Crappie ? good: good numbers of crappies can be found around the tree falls and the beaver lodges.Channel catfish ? good: look to the button bush thickets to find the catfish.

Lake of the Hills

Bluegill ? good: look for them to be suspended down three to four feet around the habitat. Channel catfish ? excellent: chicken liver or stinkbait, go chicken liver. Crappie ? fair: work the brush piles along the dam using minnows. Largemouth Bass ? good: bass are now hitting on plastic worms. White spinner baits have also been hot lately. Remember, Lake of the Hills is the only lake in West Lake Park where the use of live minnows as bait is allowed.

Railroad Lake

Bluegill ? good: bluegills are biting along 110th and along the north shore in the stump field. Channel catfish ? good: the catfish have been biting on stinkbait and chicken liver along the old creek channel on the south side of the lake. Crappie ? good: anglers working the flooded timber and old creek channel on the south side have been catching some crappies. Largemouth bass ? good: use white spinner baits to locate the bass along the rocks and the submerged wood. The use of live minnows is not permitted on Railroad Lake.

Skunk River

The river level seems to be fairly constant. Water temperature remains in the low 70s. Channel catfish ? good: catfishing has been pretty good lately. Try using grass frogs as bait.

For more information on the above lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Station at (319) 694-2430.

Lake Wapello

Try using spinnerbaits or crankbaits for largemouth bass. Target areas with rocky shorelines or the edges of aquatic vegetation areas. Use stinkbait for channel catfish. Try areas off the rock jetties or the fishing pier.

Red Haw Lake

Bluegill - Good: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler. Try casting around the shoreline and submerged structure. Also try around the fishing jetties. Largemouth bass ? good: use rubber worms and crankbaits in areas with some submerged structure. Also try areas around the rock jetties and the shorelines that are rip-rapped. Try topwaters in the early mornings.

Lake Sugema

Bluegill ? fair: try small jigs fished under a slip-bobber tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler. Add a split shot about 12 inches above the hook. Try different depths until finding aggressive fish. Largemouth bass ? fair: try plastic worms and spinnerbaits around the rocky shorelines and around the fishing jetties.

Rathbun Reservoir

The current lake level is 910.06 feet with normal pool being 904. The water temperature is 78 degrees. Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels so make sure to clean, drain and dry boats before transporting to another water body. Spray boats and trailers with high pressure hot water (above 104 degrees) or let them dry for at least 10 days (five days in the sun). Walleye ? slow: walleye fishing has improved as the lake gets closer to normal pool. Try crankbaits around the submerged points and rock reefs or nightcrawlers in the same areas. Look for changes in depth as fish should be using the ledges. Channel catfish ? fair: try using stinkbait or cut bait. Target areas with rocky shorelines such as around the bridge at Bridgeview or along the dam. White bass ? fair: anglers have been catching white bass using medium size jigs and chrome colored crankbaits. Look for schools of shad and concentrate around those areas.

If you have other questions regarding fishing in south central Iowa please call the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406.